Indicator for fuel supply tanks and the like



s. 1924 2 sheets-sheet '1 ATTORNEY April 5 1927.

J. D. DURANT INDICATOR FOR FUEL SUPPLY TANKS AND THE LIKE Filed Deo.

y 5 192 '1;62`3'832i` April 7 J. D. DURANT INDICATOR FOR `FUEL SUPPLY |INKS AND THE LKE Filed Dec. 5 1924 Z Sheets-Sheet 2 l f f l l f /1 BY XM; l. l

A TQRNIY einen Jenn n. prima', on Yonai, npiLQLssI'mwn' To 'rma componente conrnoL conroaazron, on NEW vom, n. Y., A communion or NEW Youn.

INDICATOR. FR FUEL SUPL'Y TANKS AND THE application and December s, im.. semi m. mees;

-'l`his invention relates to indicators, and more particularlyI to an indicatingdevice operating T upon the hydrostatic principle for iudicatinpl the liquid content of a tank or other receptacle. ln the present instance the device is adapted to indicate the quantity of liquid fuel in the fuel supply tank of an automobile, where the vacuum feed principle is employed to withdraw the liquid fuel from 1o the supply tank.

Une of the objects of the invention is to `provide in an indicator lof the .above character, new and improved.I means for rectifying and correcting the gauge. v

Another object is to provide a device of the above character, wherein the liquid indieating medium in the gaugehead will not surge or fluctuate under an condition of service, but will reinain'stea y,`and thereby o at all time give an accurate indication.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of theabove character, wherein there is provided a supplementary air body in the lower end of the gauge conduit, which 25 a'r body is designed to maintain the gauge in rectified condition under the influences of changes of temperature, or vibratory disturbances of the apparatus, such as would tend to dislodge a portion of the rectifying :io n ieduni from the lower end of the gauge conduit.

Other objects and aims of ths invention more or less specific than those referred to above. will be in part obvious and in part gf, pointed out in the course of the following, description of the elements, combinations. arrangements of parts und applicatons of principles constituting this invention g' and the scope of the protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended-claims.

ln the. accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown preferred forms of embodimenta of the invention:

Figure l is ,a schematic view illustrating sa the invention, adaptedfor use in connection with the liquid fuel Asupply tank of an auto- `mobile.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View taken through the lower end of therectifying Figure 3 is u horizontal sectional view taken substantfally on the line 3-3of Figure 2, looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

Figure el. is u bottom planview of the no rectifying means.

Figure 5 is a Vertical sectional view taken through a portion of the gauge conduit, showing one of the batlles employed therein.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line G-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken through a porton of the rectifying means, showing a. slightly modified form ofcoustruction. 1

Figure 8 is a schematic view of e modified forni of the indicating device; and f Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view showing a detail of construction.

Referring now to the drawings. wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views thereof, the reference character' denotes a liquid fuelsupply tank, B the usual vacuum'tank, and C the gauge. At this point it may oe noted that while the improved indicating device is adapted for use Where vacuum tanks are vutilized to withdraw the liquid fuel from the supply tank, the device operable in cases where a pump is employed to withdraw the liquid fuel from said supply tank.

4In practice, in a liquid fuel supply system of the vacuum type. the liquid fuel supply tank A is usually located under the body of the car, adjacent the rear axle, the vacuum tank B at a point under the hood of the automobile above the carburetor, and the gauge C preferably located on the dash or instrument board, in a position to be observed b v the occupant of the driveru compartment. i

The function of the vacuunitnnk B is to draw. liquid fuel 'through the conduit l from the liquid fuel supply tank, mcchay nisiu boing employed in the vacuum tank to trp or operate valve mechanism contained therein. when a sufficient quantity of liquid fuel has been drawn into the vacuum rank. such' operation permitting the liquid fuel remaining in the conduit l to return by gravity to the liquid fuel supply tank.4 i

In the present instance the conduit l leads througfh a fitting? Q. suitably mounted in an uperti'lre/B formed in the upper wall of the liquid fr l supply tanl. Similarly con nected w`th the upper wall ofthe liquid fuel supplytank, is a conduit 4, which leads to the gauge C, `which as above described, is preferably ,located on the dash or instrument panel of the automobile.

llltl The gauge C is provided with a U-sha-ped tube 5, whichxcontains a quantity of liquid 6, the latter -constituting the indicating medium, which through co-operation with a suitable scale, not shown,'provided in the front transparent wall 7 of the gauge, inf dicates the quantity of liquid in the tank.

The upper wall of the liquid fuel supply tank-is provided with the usual aperture 8,

Cil

through which the liquid fuel is introducedl into the tank,'and which/is closed by a cap 9, which if desired, mayfbe provided with the usual vent, through 'which the airis admitted to the vsupply tank as the liquid fuel is withdrawn therefrom through the conduit 1. If desired, the usual vent provided in the cap 9 may ,be employed in the fitting 2.

Extending downwardly into the tank from the fitting 2 is a'conduit 10, the lower end 11 of which terminates in. contiguous relation with the lower wall of the supply tank. V'llhe lower end 1l of this conduit is preferably dbeveled off, as at l2, for a purpose which will be apparent herenafter.

Conduit v10, near its upper end, and within the supply tank, is provided with an aperture or port 13. Extending downwardly into the liquid fuel supply tankis a second conduit 14:, which conduit in the present instance leads from a. bell-shaped receptacle 15, the lower end 16 of this receptacle terminating adjacent the lower open end of the conduit 10, slightly above the same. The said receptacle and the lower end of the conduit 10 are preferably located in contiguous lateral relation, the construction being such that air bubbles discharged through thelower open end of the conduit l() into theV supply tank will, by their buoyancy, rise medium, suol,l

and find their way tinto the receptacle 15.

At this point it will be noted lthat the beveled oil' portion 12 of the lower end of the -conduit l() faced toward the mouth. of the bell, facilitates this operation, by giving direction to the said discharged air bubbles. able spaced intervals are domed or conical baiiles 17, which bailies are preferably held in position inthe conduitby surface friction, the bellies being constructed with central ports 18 and side grooves 19, permitting air to pass through or around them, 'but providing resistance to the surging of a heavier for instance as the liquid fuel located in tl e.' tank A. These battles also serve to restrain the liquid in the fuel supply tank from rushingup into the conduit 4 lleading to the` gauge C, in the event that the said conduit 4 should bccomedisconnected atv the gauge C, for instance, or 'in the fitting 2.

Extending transversely of the receptacle 15 a slight distance from the lower end 16 thereof,q is a conically formed` partition20,

having .a centrallyrlocated aperture 2L 'of the receptacle 15.

lshelf 24. Extending through the wall of the Located in the conduit 14, at suit This partition is carried by an annular ring 22, which fits nicely into the lower riin 23 l The ring 22 is provided with an inwardly extending annular receptacle 15, at a position slightly below the aperture or port 2l of the partition 207 are a plurality of minute apertures mounted upon the receptacle 15, and extending downwardly in spaced relation to the rim 23 thereof, is a ring 2G. lhis ring is also provided at suitably spaced intervals with a plurality of minute apertures 2T, which apertures are preferably located in staggered relation with the apertures 25 of the receptacle 15, but on the same plane.

The function of this ring 26 is to-provide a trap for the,air bubbles that might emerge throtgh' ports 25 as aresult of vibration or excess 'liquid pressure, thus forming an air lock to prevent the further loss ot' air 4from the gauge system. Ceptacle l5 is preferably provided a meshed screen 28, thelatter being preferably ,carried by the ring 26, which screen, as shf'own in Figures 1, 2 an #1, constitutes. a restraining means to prevent the air from being dislodged from the bottom of the receptacle l5.

In the nioditication shown in Figure 7, this screen 28 is extended over the lower open end of the conduit 10, whereby the screen lforms the additional function of removingforeign bodies from the liquid fuel being withdrawn from the liquid supply tank through the conduit 1t).

In the elnbodimentot' the invention shown in Figure 8, the construction of the apparatus is similar in all respects to the con'- struetion of the embodiment of the invention next above set forth, with the exception that the port or vent 13 in the conduit 10 has been omitted. ln this embodiment of the invention a tube 2S) is provided for introdueng air into the conduit. l0. 'l`his` tube entendsl upwardly, preferably inparallel relation to the ronduit lu, and supported thereby, having its upper open end v3l) located in a small chamber 3l formed in the litting 2, as clearly shown in Figure 9. In this embodiment of the inver-tion a vent 32 is provided in the litting, which communicates with the interior of the liquid fuel lsupply tank, the purpose of which is to insure an adequate supply of air -within the fuel supply tank, for the proper operation of the gauge system, in the event that the Positioned below the re- I aperture ordinarily provided in the filler messes ne'ctiou with vacuum systems wherein s check valve might he employed to prevent the liquid fuel from ruiming beck into the liquid supply tank by gravity 'when .the 'vacuum tank ceeses to withdrew liquid 'fuel from said supply teelt, or Where e, liquid fuel pump is employed for transporting the fuel from the liquid supply teuk'to the carburetor.

Heviug thus described the coustructiori of these embodiments of the invcitiou, the operetiou tl'iereois muy new he understood.

Referring to YFigure'l of the drawings, und assuming that e. quant-ity of liquid fuelL has been provider?. in the indicator gauge C, it will he observed that u hydrostatic balancey is estelslisliecl between the body of the liquid fuel in the suppl leuk A und the column ofl liquid in the -s'ispedtuhe of the gouge C, the pressure of the liquid fuel exerted lipou the cir imprisoned in the conduits il und 4 maintaining the said hydrostatic. hulsuce, whereby the leveliudiceting medium 'inthe gauge tube, iuy conjunction with the seule will iudicste et all times the queiitity of liquid fuel iu the supply g it will ce understood, oit "course, that the relutivities o the indicator medium, the, scale calibration oi' the gouge, arid the cepacity et the liquid `iuel supply tsukheve' previously been determined, whereby the gauge will supply un accurate indication 'for u given sized supply tunic. iu 'the embodiment of the iriveutiou shown iu the first described-embodiment, during the operation of the vacuum tuali'. liquid fuel will he drawn through the conduits l0 und l iuto the vacuum tenir; During this suction i'iow Koi the liquid fuel from the supply tunic to the vacuum tank air will he drown into the conduits it) sud l, through the aperture or port 13, the air being thus eutramed in the liquid-fuel vacuum' luuk. Some of this entraiued air will, ot'lcourse, he present iu the conduits.

1 und l when the vacuum tzmlr ceases to withdraw the liouitl fuel from `the supply tank. The liquiducl contained iu said cou'- tluitswill tlieuilow buck into the supply icuii, enel this recessouuliow of the liquid fuel will discharge ojquuutity of said eutroiueii cir from the lower eiul 120i the couiluit l0. This uir will thereupon risc and enter the lower end ot the receptacle l5, passing upwardly therein through the port 21u whence it posses into the condu't 14.

The above operation occurs during the initial rectifyiug of the gauge. When lthe gouge has oncelieen rectified, as shove set forth.' smi the liquid. has been excluded from conduit le', thereafter during@ the continued operutious of the vacuum tenir, the gauge' system will receive only such quantity ot .sir :is is ueceery to maintain the gauge in u rectified condition.

passing upwardly into the.

:Thus the indicating medium in the gauge moves relativel to the seule, so us accuratel to indicate the varying level of the liquid mel in the supply tank, the construction being suchthat more than u suiiicieut quantity of oir tp make the correction or rectiicatiou is discharged against the lower open end of thegsuge system,f excess of air disf churged against scid opeii end being netw' rally rejeoteflll Referring now 4to the supplementary body of cir present in the receptacle l5, und hclow the partition 20, this air, contiguous with that imprisonedin the gouge conduits' 14 und 4, and the upper puri of receptucle 15 automatically corupeusutes for any contraction of the air in conduits 14 'and 4 and the upper port of receptacle l5 as a result ot' temperature changes, or lossof imprisoned air through the ports 25 und 2'?, due to vihrational disturbances.

The operation ot the embodiment ot the invention shown in Figures 8 und 9, in so Fier as the rectiicatiouofthc gauge 1s couccrned, is identical will tout already described. In this embodiment o theinvention, however, it will loe noted that the rectitying air may be drawn through thetube'i during the recessiona'low of the liquid fuel through the suctiou 'conduit' l0, In the event, however, that a, check valve or similar device is employed to hold the liquid-fuel. iu' the suction line when the vacuum teuk cecses to Withdraw liquid uel fromy .the supply tank, the recoil of the suddenly 'arrested ow of the liquid fuel causes sufficient quantitles of the entruiued air to discharged. through the lower open end of the suction conduit l0, to maintuin the necessary supply of air iu the gauge system.

The function of the compartment formedf by the emnulurv ring 26 is to provide s col lector for cir dscharged through the muule,

stri'ictiouabove set forth. attains, among others, all. the ends and objects above pointed out. lt will he lnoted that the level at which thevg imprisoned air viu the 'gauge system is sensitive to,`ror Iziii'ected by, the pressure of the liquid fuel contained in the supply tank, is cleterm pcd by the'locution of the ports or aperture. 25, 27 provided iu Wthe rim of the bell und the oir lock at the lower end of the gauge system. lie supplementary air body held the hel therefore is below the level of effective pressure transmissiouend is established and maintained for the purpose of supplying any deficiency that muy resultA et the mouth of through the contraction ot the air'above it, due to temperature variations, or to replace vibrational or leakage losses of air. in case of shrinkage of the air in the pres- `sure line, due, for instance. to the standing et a cai' over night in a cool garage, the loss is automatically compensated for, as the need arises, by the reservoir air filtering up into the bell. The gauge reading can thus be'relied upon even after the system has been standing idle for some time. The reutrally pierced upwardly contracted or couical battles in the gauge lino have the etlcct.

'ot squeezingr the air bubbles ito'pointcd shape so that they readily thread their way up through any liquid in this line lwithout pushing the liquid before them and the down passages in the sides of these battles erinit liquid in the tube to run down the sides of the tube, out of the Way of the rising air bubbles. The natural tendency of the liquid to adhere to the walls of the tube is thus taken advantage of in returning vthe liquid to the tank. Because of such conical vtorni also these batlles effectively check any liquid rising,r in the conduit.

It will also be notedthat no means is providedfor dischargingar into the gauge system. Entrained air from Ythe suction system is discl'iarged directly into the supply tank, t'liei'earter by reason of its buoyancy finding its way into the gauge system in suoli quantities as are necessary to maintain the hydrostatic balance.

As many changes could be made 'in this ionstruction without departing from the scope ol tle following claims, it is .intended that .all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be regarded as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

llaving thus described iny invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by lietlers Patent oi the United States, is:

l. ln apparatus ot the character disclosed, a liquid containing tank, a pressure gauge, a conduit extending trom said gauge into the liquid in the tank and in communication [with the liquid at a pressuretransmitting level in the tank and means within the tank for automatically maintaining a supply of pressure transmitting fluid in the tank below vsaid pressure 'transitiittingiF level and in coinn'iunication with the conduit at a point above suoli level. l

2. ln apparatus ot the character disclosed, a liquid containing tank, a pressure' gauge, a conduit-'iextending from said gauge into the tank and in communication with the liquid at a pressure transmitting level and means for automatically maintaining: a supply ot pressure transniittingtluid below said level and-in communication with the conduit at a point approximately at such level, said means including in a vertical dia Thus, f

Leaaaae pliragin entered in the lower end ofthe I conduit. rising as tar asthe pressure transmission level. and having an opening therethrough approximately at the pressure transmission level.

3'. ln apparatus of the character disclosed, a liquid containing;r tank, a pressure gauge, a conduit extending from said gauge into the tank and in communication with vthe liqu id at a pressure transmitting level,ineans i'or automatically maintaining a supply of pressure transinittinpT fluid below said level aud in communication with the vconduit/at a point approximately at such level and means forming a lhlidjprcssure lozk surroundinpr said pressure maintaninpr means t'or restraining the pressure tluid.

4. ln combination with a liquid containing tank, a. pressure conduit entered in said tank lhaving a bell open to the liquid for transmission of the liquid ypressure to said conduit, a partition in the mouth of said bell and -liaving a transversely extending pai-tb' said conduit having' a restricted liquid pres# sure transmitting passage in the sidefof the saine above the partition and ineanstdru'iing a tluid pressurelock surrouiuliug?r the lower end ot' the conduit and havin@y a restricted liquid pressure transinittinfr opening at apl'noxiinatcly the level ot said pressure transmitting 'passage inthe conduit.

7. ln combination, a. liquid containing; tank, a pressure gauge', a pressure conduit extending from said gauge into the tank. an upwardly faced conical diaphragm in the lower end of said conduit havingV an opening through the top ot' the same, the conduit having a pressure' transmittinpr passage open to the liquid in the tank atl level above the diaphragm brit below the ripening in the merged in the liquid therein, a series .of

diaphragm and la pressure fluidconduit having a discharge mouth disposed below. the-conical diaphragm for delivering pressure transmitting fluid beneath the same.

8. In combination, a liquid containing tank, a pressure gauge, a lpressure conduit extending from said gauge into the tank, .anA upwardly accd conical diaphragm in the lower end of said conduit having an opening through the top 'of the same, the conduit having a. pressure transmitting passage open to the liquid in the tank at a level above the diaphragm but below the opening in the diaphragm, a pressure fluid conduit having a discharge mouth disposed below the conical diaphragm for delivering pressure transmitting Huid beneath the same and a ring surrounding the pressure conduit having` a pressure transmitting opening therein substantially on a level with the pressure transmitting opening in said conl" duit.

9. In' combination, av liquid containing tank, a pressure conduit entered in and subconical baliies disposed in superposed relation in said conduit having central passages ,ter asaending air bubbles and side passages Afor descending liquid and a pressure actuated device connected with the upper end of said eenduit.- x

10.As a new article of manufacture, a

depth-gauge unit comprising a cap for apy plication to a tank opening, suction and pressure tubes dependent from said cap, the suction tube having a restricted air intake open to vtake in air near the upper portion of said tube and Ahaving an unrestricted liquid inlet at its lower end, the-pressure conduit being open at its lower end and having such open lower end disposed adjacent` and above the lower end of the suction conduit to receive entrained air discharged from the same into the liquid in the tank, means for restraining a body of such released air in the mouth of the pressure conduit, including an upwardly faced conical diaphragm in the lower end of the pressure conduit having a restricted .passage by which such restrainedair is in communication with the interior of the conduit and the conduit having a restricted passage at approximately the level 'of lthe irst passage for transmission of liquidv pressure to theVin-` terior of the conduit. 4

11. As a new article ot manufacture, -a depth gauge unit comprising a cap 4for npplicationtoa tank opening, suction and pressure tubes dependent from said cap, the suction tube having a restricted air. intake therein and an unrestricted liquid inlet at its lower end, the pressure conduitl -being open at its lower end and having such open,

lower end disposed adjacent and above thel lower end of the suction conduit.to receive entramed awdischarged from the`same into the liquid in thetank, means for restrainl ing a body o such released air in theimouth of the pressure conduit, including 'an upwardly faced conical diaphragm in the lower end of thepressure conduit having a. restrictedvlpassage by which such restrained air is in communication with the 'interior ot. the conduit and the conduit having a restricted passage at ap roximately the level of the first passage or transmission of liquid pressure to the interior of the vconduit and an air lock ring surrounding the lower end of the pressure conduit in com- "j munication with, the pressure conduit and havingv a restricted way. therethrough at substantially the level of the pressure trans'- mission passage 'in ythe pressure conduit for transmission of the liquid pressure.

12. In combination, a liquid containing tank, a liquid withdrawal pi e extending' down through the liquid'in sai tank and in "communication with such liquid near the bottom of the tank, a small air induction tube open at the' top and extending from above tlie-liquid level in the tank downwardly and Ainto the. liquid withdrawal pipe near `the lower end of the same, a pressure transmission conduit extending down through the liquid in the tank lto a posi-- tion near the bottom of vthe tank and hav-1 ing its-lower. end open and positioned toy receive' entrained airl discharged from the f 'lower end of' the liquid withdrawal pi e h tiie and a gage instrument connected wit -upper end of said pressure transmission coIIlduit. l f I ai l i n testimony w lereo a X my si ature.

- JoriN D. DURINT. 

